Meisterstück Cap Logo Alignment

[SebastianTombs]

Hello,

 

I am new here and I would like to submit a question for your advice. I have asked other sources with no results yet, and since I am a new owner I like the idea of being part of this community.

 

I recently purchased a Meisterstück LeGrand pen. When looking at the cap straight from above, I noticed that the top rounded tip of the logo isn't centred to the pen clip, but ever so slightly turned to the left.

 

Should the logo orientation make it line up with the clip, or are the cap tops screwed in without taking this alignment into account?

 

The pen has been bought new from a reputable authorised dealer in England.

 

Thank you for your advice, should you take the time to post your opinions here.

[teuneu]

Same here. I have a non-retractable Boheme. The clip of the cap is not aligned with the nib, but slightly to the left. I think MB has some issues with left aligned things...

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you for your input. I saw many pens in store today and none of the emblems on them were aligned. To me it's like I bought a Rolex watch with a crooked crown.

 

Today I bought an original pouch for it, and again the logo is rotated. Frankly, while I know there are real problems in the world, I am appalled at this. I have a good mind to phone the shop and ask to put one with a straight logo aside for me to swap mine with, if they even have a straight one. What bothers me immensely is that the official logo features the emblem with one of the tips dead centred at the top, and so do all the marketing pictures for the pouch I just bought.

[teuneu]

But since it is that consistent, maybe it is just that we think it is misaligned, but it a goofy thing they wanted. The human being wants symmetry and therefore we have to have a certain reference point (I don't understand why they would choose a different one than the clip). In this case, it is not the cap clip or the longitudinal of the pouch. Maybe MB uses a different reference point which we are not aware of.

[pp763]

Thank you for your input. I saw many pens in store today and none of the emblems on them were aligned. To me it's like I bought a Rolex watch with a crooked crown.

 

Today I bought an original pouch for it, and again the logo is rotated. Frankly, while I know there are real problems in the world, I am appalled at this. I have a good mind to phone the shop and ask to put one with a straight logo aside for me to swap mine with, if they even have a straight one. What bothers me immensely is that the official logo features the emblem with one of the tips dead centred at the top, and so do all the marketing pictures for the pouch I just bought.

Thats an interesting one. In 16 years of collecting montblanc pens i have never thought about that. My 2 pouches have different oriented snow caps and my pens are different as well. This is perfectly normal so i would stay with a disposable pen if it angers you. My rolexes didnt line up straight either. Sometimes they did and sometimes not and i didnt screw the crown too tight or loose in orderfor it to do so. If you have a defect free pen and pouch in terms of quality that should be sufficient or at least for me it is

 

Happy writing

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you pp. I meant the crown logo on the dial, not the actual watch crown, my bad. It would be fine if Montblanc circulated pictures of their products with misaligned logos, but all their corporate photography features straight logos, almost as if they were photoshopped or one-offs made just for their website; that's what's bothering me. I think it's borderline false advertising. Like cheap suit jackets in shop windows that look properly waisted just because they are pinned on the back of the mannequin to achieve a better fit that conveys quality craftmanship, and then you take them home and realise that the maker wasn't capable of making them that way. Same thing here, don't show straight logos if you can't put them on all of your products. Having said this, I am usually VERY attentive to these details so it's my fault for having overlooked them this time around. Still debating what to do. For now, a badly rotated logo that could have easily looked symmetrical with just a bit of proper care and attention to detail on a rectangular pouch just looks utterly wrong to me. Any more thoughts?

[meiers]

The customer is always right.

Or as we say in Germany, der Kunde ist König (the customer is king). I say, tell them to look after you properly.

[meiers]

WELCOME TO THE FPN.

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you!

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you for your theory Teuneu, it's most interesting. I wonder then why all the official product pictures feature emblems that are perfectly rotated so that the top tip is in the centre of the logo. I have a feeling the people at Montblanc themselves think they are not making their products to a very precise and excellent standard, but that's how they would like them to be so that's how they market them. But again that's wrong on so many levels, in my opinion. I love the overall feeling of my new pen, but so far I am not at all impressed and quite surprised by the lack of attention to details.

[jar]

If it bothers you so much just buy something else. TTBOMK there is no rule saying you must buy Montblanc products.

[Fountainnib]

As far as I am aware, the six-pointed star on the top of the Montblanc cap is not supposed to be aligned with the clip in any way. Any attempt to alter its position risks damage to the exterior of the cap. I, personally, would not risk it. "It-is-what-it-is." I hope this helps.

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you Fountainnib.

 

Jar, it's just I am a new owner and I wasn't expexting these issues with what is priced, marketed and perceived as a premium product. I am expressing my surprise. Still, the Meisterstück LeGrand pen is my favourite pen design among many brands, so I am stuck with a conundrum.

[carlos.q]

I do believe that this is another good example of a first world problem...

 

[SebastianTombs]

Ah ah

[jar]

Thank you Fountainnib.

 

Jar, it's just I am a new owner and I wasn't expexting these issues with what is priced, marketed and perceived as a premium product. I am expressing my surprise. Still, the Meisterstück LeGrand pen is my favourite pen design among many brands, so I am stuck with a conundrum.

 

Does it write? Does it give you pleasure when you use it? Does your annoyance with the snow cap alignment outweigh the pleasure?

 

But remember, Montblanc is only one among many premium fountain pens and so there is a whole world of choices out there. But only you can decide what is acceptable to you and how much discomfort you are willing to accept from your OCD. Montblancs are great top tier pens but certainly not my favorites.

 

Remember advertising copy is advertising copy. You never would want to eat any of the food in the pictures. All the Yard-o-Led Corinthian ad pictures show it posted but it will not post. None of the Montegrappa Extra 1930 ads tell you that it takes about a brazillion turns to cap or uncap. A picture can be worth a thousand lies.

 

Take the pen and case back then find out when the next London "The Hole" gathering is and join them. You will find a whole herd of folk and wisdom and will be able to fondle a bunch of pens.

 

Now here it is 103F right now and not yet at the hottest part of the day. That does bother me. I'd water the plants but that would just boil them in the pots.

[SebastianTombs]

Thanks for the precious insight Jar. All points taken home. As an aside, what does it mean that the Corinthian pen 'will not post'? As you may have gathered English is not my first language. Thank you.

[jar]

Thanks for the precious insight Jar. All points taken home. As an aside, what does it mean that the Corinthian pen 'will not post'? As you may have gathered English is not my first language. Thank you.

Posting is when you put the cap on the end of the body while writing.

 

Posted pens:

http://www.fototime.com/949C974B4583612/large.jpg

[StyloBug33]

Most of the logos on my Montblanc pens are not aligned. That hasn't really bothered me, but I did get into a debate with the manager of a Montblanc boutique when I complained that the 146 I had bought 2 days earlier would not post. I like posting my pens, and I wanted to exchange it for one that would post. She then told me that the pens are not supposed to be posted, and since I had used the pen (once), she would not exchange it. I pointed out that in all the advertisements for the 146 they are shown posted. I even found an Instagram video where someone is drawing with a 146 and it is clearly posted. The manager wouldn't budge. So, while the misaligned logo does not irritate my OCD, the inability to post this particular pen really bugged me. And the fact that I was told that they aren't supposed to be posted, when all their advertisements show them posted, really irritates me. So, I can appreciate your frustration.

[SebastianTombs]

Thank you StyloBug.

 

And thank you jar for the information. Every day is a school day!